Search This Blog

Grosgrain Archives

May 24, 2011

I can't believe this month is finally winding down. It feels like we just got started! Well, not to worry, we still have some amazing guests to wrap up the month. Like today's guest! Please welcome the super fabulous Rae, from Made by Rae!

I began following Rae after falling in love with her toddler's backpack pattern. I loved how it looked totally different from all the branded packs you see at all those back-to-school mega stores. In fact, that's what a lot of Rae's style is like. Fresh and charming.

Super useful. I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've had my girls wear tights that were either too big or too small because I didn't have one to match their outfits. With Rae's pattern you can recycle old knit tops.

Hi Grosgrain Readers! It seems like lately everyone's got Chevron Fever! Chevron stripes are all over the place. MADE's got a great Chevron pillow tutorial here and there's even plenty of fabrics that are following suit (example below). I love the Chevron rug too (tutorial from the Fabulous Design File).

And just in case you need a little bit of Chevron in your life, I've put together a tutorial for a little wristlet that can provide you with your Chevron-fix on a daily basis. Since I like to carry different bags on different days, this wristlet functions as my "wallet," I just throw it in whatever bag or purse I happen to be carrying that day. It's plenty big enough to hold all of the essentials: credit cards, cash, cell phone, pen and checkbook, chapstick, whatever.

This pattern calls for striped fabric to make your own Chevron, but you could use any fabric you like for the outside of the wristlet for a patchwork effect. Even using solid colors for each section would look really great!

Materials :

1/2 yard or less striped fabric for outside

10"x14" piece of fabric for lining + more if you want to add a pocket

9" zipper

It also helps to have a rotary cutter, mat and ruler and a marking pen.

Instructions

1. Print out pattern pieces for wristlet (free download from this post). The stripes on the rectangular pieces are meant to help you line up your stripes when cutting out those pieces as shown below.

2. Cut out 12 rectangles from the striped fabric: six rectangles with the stripes going up to the left and six with the stripes going up to the right. If you are using stripes (of any width), make sure they are parallel to the template stripes before cutting them out.

Hint:

To make sure the stripes will line up from piece to piece, after you cut your first rectangle, place it on the fabric facedown and line up all the stripes carefully as shown below. Then use the first piece as a guide to cut out the next piece. Then take that next piece and place it face down and cut out the next one, and so on. If you always use the most recent piece to cut out the next piece, all of your pieces will have stripes that line up nicely.

{ If you don't want to print out the pattern, each rectangle is 2x7"}

3. Arrange six of the strips alternating striped direction. Make sure the stripes line up along the edges. Then sew the strips together with a 1/4" seam allowance and right sides together:

4. Press seam allowances apart. Trim the edges if necessary.

5. Use the wristlet pattern outline to cut out two lining pieces and two outer pieces. If your outer pieces aren't quite wide enough, don't worry about it...as they were cut on the bias they will have a tendency to stretch a little when sewn. Just center the pattern over the striped pieces and trim as closely as possible.

{ If you're not using the pattern printout, you can just use a drinking glass or other round object to curve the corners of the striped rectangles and then use that shape to cut out the lining pieces.}

6. Add a pocket to the lining if you would like. I used a rectangle 5"x9" and this tutorial from my blog.

7. Center the zipper face up over the right side of one lining piece with the edge of the zipper aligned with the top edge of the lining. (So make sure you got that: the WRONG side of the zipper is facing the RIGHT side of the lining)

8. Sew together with a 1/4" seam, starting and ending where the teeth of the zipper begin and end (in other words, don't go all the way to the end of the zipper; stop sewing when you get to those "tails" on the zipper that open apart.

Hints:

- You will have to move the head of the zipper at some point to avoid sewing over it, so when you get close to it, put your needle down, slide the head of the zipper out of the way, and continue on.

- I use a regular presser foot for sewing zippers. I find if I line the edge of the presser foot up with the edge of the zipper, I get a nice 1/4" seam.

9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 for the other piece of lining and other side of zipper. The dots in the photo on the right shows where I ended the stitching.

10. Center one outer piece face down on the right side of the zipper, top edge aligned with the zipper edge (So make sure you got that correctly: The RIGHT side of the outer piece is facing the RIGHT side of the zipper).

11. Sew together with a 1/4" seam, just inside of the lining/zipper stitches (it helps to have the wrong side of the zipper facing up while you sew so you can see those previous stitches). This is what it will look like when you flip the striped piece away from the zipper after sewing:

12. Repeat Steps 10 and 11 for the other outer piece and other side of zipper.

13. Now it's time to make sure everything is looking OK. When you press everything away from your zipper, the top of your zipper should look like this:

and the bottom of your zipper should look like this:

14. Cut out a 2.5" by 13" rectangle for the strap. Fold in half like a hotdog and press to create a crease down the center of the rectangle. Then fold the raw edges in to meet at the center crease and fold again to hide those edges. Sew along the open side of the folded strip to finish the strap.

15. Fold strap in half, pin raw edges of strap along the raw edge of one of the striped pieces about 1/2" below the top. Baste a little less than 1/4" away from the edge to secure in place.

16. With striped pieces right sides together and lining pieces right sides together AND THE ZIPPER HALFWAY OPEN (v. important!!!), sew around the entire wristlet with a 1/4" seam, skipping the 3" at the bottom of the lining (it helps to mark this before you sew).

Hints:

- When you get to the zipper, go very very slowly and make sure that you will not be sewing through any metal. It's going to be close, so be careful!

- The zipper tails should be sewn towards the lining, not towards the stripes.

17. Use the turning hole to turn the wristlet right side out. Press fabric away from the zipper, and you're finished!

Thanks for having me Kathleen! This has been such a fun month of free patterns and I'm so glad you invited me over!!

Thank you Rae for coming to Grosgrain for the day! I was very delighted to have such a talented seamstress working with me today. Please keep up all the adorable pattern making.Stay tuned tomorrow for Katy from No Big Dill.

I just finished this bag with a favorite print of mine and I LOVE it! I want to make a bunch, and in different sizes too. I think my next one will be a bit smaller. Thanks for the pattern and the tutorial!

About Me

A blog by an artsy craftsy, penny pinching, party planning, playdating,
fashion finding, sci-fi loving, stay at home mother of three little
girls *and one little boy who always keeps her sewing machine plugged in and loves all
things charming.